Steve Nash, Steve Blake near returns for Lakers

Lakers' Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, and Steve Blake during game four of their NBA Western Conference playoffs at the Staples Center Saturday, April 28, 2013. The Spurs beat the Lakers 120-89. The Spurs beat the Lakers 103-82. (Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer)

Lost in the wreckage of Indiana’s 104-92 victory Tuesday night, which included the news that Kobe Bryant is still three weeks away from his next doctor’s evaluation, was a glimmer of hope.

Soon, the Lakers will start getting point guards back. Steve Nash is expected to step onto the practice court Thursday and Steve Blake’s elbow ligament has healed enough that he has been cleared to step onto the court for limited time, as has Jordan Farmar with his left hamstring tear.

Forward Xavier Henry (bone bruise) had filled in some at point guard, though his return is expected later down the road.

When any and all return, it will provide some relief for Kendall Marshall, who has proved to be much more than a stopgap measure. As the team’s only point guard, he has logged almost 40 minutes a game over 14 games.

On the other hand, in the last 12 games Marshall has averaged 12 points and 11.5 assists per game. So when everyone is healthy, who’s going to get the playing time?

“I take more pride in winning,” Marshall said after the game.

Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni has not let negativity seep into the locker room, and he hasn’t detected any, either. His advice through the trying period has been simple.

“Just play hard,” D’Antoni said. “We’ll get some guys back, the Steves and Farmar should be back pretty soon, and hopefully X later.”

Pleading the third

It happened again against the Pacers. The Lakers turned in a solid first half, playing to a 49-49 tie heading into halftime, when suddenly they shot 28 percent in the third quarter and the Pacers built a 10-point lead over the next 12 minutes, eventually extending their advantage to as many as 16 points.

The third-quarter debacles have been well chronicled but may never be solved.

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“We just didn’t play very well, but it’s not a starting lineup (issue),” D’Antoni said. “We’ve tried that. We’ve tried different people, we’ve tried different things. We’ve tried getting them out earlier to warm up, talk to them, encourage them, but for whatever reason we just don’t seem to get off the schneid very well to start the second half.

“I don’t know what kind of adjustments we need to make, but we just need to play better.”

The Lakers did have a different lineup than their starters for the third quarter but not by choice. Pau Gasol’s groin tightened up and he couldn’t enter until 10:41 left in the period. He will be re-evaluated today.

Crashing the boards

The Pacers (a season-high 99) and Lakers (94) combined for 193 shots and both teams missed 57 shots. That left a lot of rebounds, and the Pacers left with a 63-50 advantage, and they had 20 second-chance points.

“It has to be a team effort,” Gasol said of the Lakers’ rebounding. “Everyone has to come into the paint, get aggressive when there is so much penetration. You have to crack back on the big guys, feel them and don’t allow them to get to the board. Little things like that can make a big difference. We just have to scramble more.”